Front end suspension system for vehicles



June 30, 1959 E. LEROY 2,892,634

FRONT END SUSPENSION SYSTEM FOR VEHICLES Original Filed June 28, 1955 :s she'ets-sneet 1 v ENTOR. life-m4.- flhtlad 5. mm

June 30, 1959 E. LEROY 2,892,634

. FRONT END SUSPENSION SYSTEM FOR VEHICLES Original Filed June 28, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 30, 1959 E. LEROY FRONT END SUSPENSION SYSTEM FOR VEHICLES Original Filed June 28, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. 91.101. 01-07 United? States Patent" Q FRONT END SUSPENSION SYSTEMIJFOR VEHIQEESi EtienneLeroy, ReimS,-. .rance, assign'or to.- EdmondLangeais New York, N.Y.

Original application June 28, 1955; SeriaPNo. 518,629, new Patent No; 2,857, ll10, dated October-Z1", 1958. Divided and this application January 16, 1957 Serial No. 634,460

3 Claims. (CL 2805-961) The present inventionrelates, to a frontz end: suspension system for" vehicles, and more particularly; to a rubber suspension system for the frame of, a v motor car.

. The present: applicationis. a divisional-i application. of my copending application Serial No.,5 =1 8;629, filed-June 28, 1955 now Patent No, 2,857,010.

It is one object; of the/present. invention, to provide. in a. vehicle a resilient front end suspension system. which obtains: a. particularly; smooth ride.

It is. anothenobject of the; present invention to-provide a front: end: suspension system for. the frame of: a vehicle for suspending the frame on the wheels: on irubber links;

It isyet an: object of thepresent invention toprovide asusp'ensionrsystem. for motor cars. in which the frame of: the vehicle is. located below the wheel. axes; and is suspended by tensioned: rubberrlinks:

It is alsoancbject of the present invention to provide a front end suspension for the frame ofia: vehicle in which the frame front portion is suspended by rubber links from thefront wheelaxles-.-

With these objects in view,,the present-invention mainly consists in a front end suspension in which a frame front endportionis-suspendedby rubber links o'nrpivoted arms.

T hefront endsuspension according to the present invention isparticularlyadvantageously appliedto small sports cars. The front end suspension according to the present invention causes the motor car to hug the road and. to. steeri'extremelv wellincurveseven at higlnspeeds without any sway.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side view of a front end suspension system according to the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a front end suspension systern according to the present invention;

Fig. 3 is an isometric view illustrating a frame used in the arrangement of the present invention; and

Fig. 4 is an isometric view illustrating a detail of a front end suspension according to the present invention.

Referring now to the drawings, a frame 1, best seen in Fig. 3, comprises a pair of longitudinal members 1a, a pair of transverse members 1b, a pair of transverse end members 1c, and a transverse member 1d. Brackets 2a and 2b are secured to the end members 10. The support for the steering wheel 3 is secured to one of the longitudinal members 1a, and the body of the vehicle 4, shown in broken lines in Fig. 1, is secured by suitable means to the transverse members 1b. Seats 5, shown in broken lines in Fig. 1, are also supported on the frame 1.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2, the frontend" suspensionarrangement according to the present invention is constructed in the following manner. A pair of tubular members 10'are pivotally connected to the brackets' 2a of the frame 1. Two arms 11' are fixedly secured at the front ends. thereof to the tubular members 10 which constitute pivotmeans for the arms 11. The rear ends of the arms 11' carry brackets 12' provided with pins13, Brackets 14; are secured: to the transverse frame member 10? andlare provided with pins 15. Rubber'sleeves' or loops. 16'pass about the pins 13 and 15. Rear ends of arms 11' are rigidly secured to a sleeve 17a which is connected by a pin 17b to a sleeve 17turnable relative to pin 17b. Sleeves 17" on. both sides of the frame rigidly support the axles of front wheels 18. Steering'linkage means 19 are connectedto' the axle supporting sleeves 17 for turning the front wheels 18' in a known manner.

A's'best seen inFigs. 2and'4, the arms 11' extend from the, pivot means 10; rearwardly and outwardly with respect to the frame 1.

From the above description of the front end suspension according to the present invention, it'will be understood that the frame 1 is suspended from the wheel axles by the resilient rubber means. 16. The front wheels 18 are free to swingindependently ofieach other in accordance with the roadfconditiojns, When one of the front wheels 1 8 movesupwardly, the resilient rubber link 16 'istensioned' so thatithe shock transfer to the frame I is sion systems differing from the types. described above; 7 While the invention has been illustrated; and described as. embo ie n f ont; end r m u p n on or m to car including pivoted arms. resiliently connected by rublli 'r links. to h f me. f. e e c e, 1. t nt nded a s: imitedto the de a s h wn. since. variou modifica- "tions' and structural changes may be made withoutd'eparting in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A front end suspension for a vehicle comprising, in combination, a horizontal frame front end portion having a front end; a pair of pivot means mounted on said front end of said frame front end portion; a pair of arm means having front ends respectively mounted on said pivot means for pivotal movement about a transverse horizontal axis, each arm means having a rear end located rearwardly of said front end thereof, each of said rear ends being located outwardly of the associated pivot means and above said frame front end portion and said arm means being located outwardly of the respectively adjacent parts of said frame front end portion so that said arm means extend rearwardly and outwardly in opposite lateral directions with respect to said frame front end portion whereby said arm means and said frame front end portion can pivot relative to each other into a position in which said rear ends of said arm means are substantially located in the same horizontal plane as said frame front end portion; a pair of front wheel axle means, each front wheel axle means being secured to the rear end of one of said arm means; a pair of first brackets, each first bracket being secured to one of said arm means adjacent the rear end of the same; a pair of second brackets secured to said frame end portion at points rearwardly spaced from said pair of pivot means, respectively; a plurality of pins, each pin secured to one of said brackets; and a pair of loops consisting of a flexible resilient material, each of said loops passing about a pin on one of said first brackets and a pin on one of said second brackets so that said frame front end portion is resiliently suspended on said front wheel axle means and so that the arm means are free to swing downwardly from the upwardly extending normal posi- 'tion thereof.

2. A front end suspension for a vehicle comprising, in combination, a horizontal frame front end portion having a front end; a pair of pivot means mounted on said front end of said frame front end portion; a pair of arm means having front ends respectively mounted on said pivot means for pivotal movement about a transverse horizontal axis, each arm means having a rear end located rearwardly of said front end thereof, each of said rear ends being located outwardly of the associated pivot means and above said frame front end portion so that said arm means extend rearwardly and outwardly in opposite lateral directions with respect to said frame front end portion; a pair of front wheel axle means, each front wheel axle means being secured to the rear end of one of said arm means; a pair of first brackets, each first bracket being secured to one of said arm means adjacent the rear end of the same, each of said first brackets projecting inwardly and upwardly from the respective associated arm means and having a free end upwardly and inwardly spaced from the respective rear end of the respective arm means; a pair of second bracketssecured to said frame end portion at points rearwardly spaced from said pair of pivot means and located below and opposite said free ends of said first brackets, respectively; a first pair of pins mounted, respectively, in said free ends of said first brackets; a second pair of pins mounted, respectively, in said second brackets; and a pair of loops consisting of a resilient material, each of said loops passing about a pin on one of said first brackets and a pin on one of said second brackets so that said frame front end portion is resiliently suspended on said front wheel axle means.

3. A front end suspension for a vehicle comprising, in combination, a horizontal frame front end portion having a front end; a pair of pivot means mounted on said front end of said frame front end portion; a pair of arm means having front ends respectively mounted on said pivot means for pivotal movement about a transverse horizontal axis, each arm means having a rear end located rearwardly of said front end thereof, each of said rear ends being located outwardly of the associated pivot means and above said frame front end portion so that said arm means extend rearwardly and outwardly in opposite lateral directions with respect to said frame front end portion; a pair of front wheel axle means, each front wheel axle means being secured to the rear end of one of said arm means; a pair of first brackets, each first bracket being secured to one of said arm means adjacent the rear end of the same, each of said first brackets projecting inwardly and upwardly from the respective associated arm means and having a free end upwardly and inwardly spaced from the respective rear end of the respective arm means; a pair of second brackets secured to said frame end portion at points rearwardly spaced from said pair of pivot means and located below and opposite said free ends of said first brackets, respec- -tively; a first pair of pins mounted, respectively, in said free ends of said first brackets; a second pair of pins mounted, respectively, in said second brackets; and a pair of loops consisting of rubber, each of said loops passing about a pin on one of said first brackets and a pin on one of said second brackets so that said frame front end portion is resiliently suspended on said front wheel axle means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS France Aug. 16, 1938 

